Project Summary
We plan to renovate a 4,000 square foot space on the first floor of Wakefield Memorial High School. When built in the 1960s, it was designed as a lecture hall with 150 molded plastic seats on curved risers attached to crescent-shaped counters.
A feasibility study, commissioned by CPA, has been completed by CBT/Childs Bertman Tsekares, Architects. It outlines the following scope of work: Install new surface materials, new risers and seating (increasing the seating to 275), upgraded HVAC system, proper handicapped accessibility and seating, new ‘house’ lighting, a professional theatrical lighting system, a professional sound system, sound boards above the stage area to improve acoustics, and a control booth behind the back wall of the space.
The completed project be will be a compact, attractive, comfortable space for all types of musical and theatrical performances. It will have limited backstage facilities, but, given its low cost, will provide a tremendous asset to Wakefield High School and the Town of Wakefield.
This project will benefit many individuals and groups. Wakefield High School’s Drama and Music Departments at last will have an excellent space to practice and perform. Further, WHS, while still without an all-school auditorium, will at least have a comfortable space to assemble and address one of the four high school classes.
After school hours the space can be made available to other organizations. We expect the Wakefield Repertory Theater, Wakefield Choral Society, Sweetser Lecture Series, New England String Ensemble, Artsleader Productions, Middlesex Concert Band, Boston Bel Canto Opera and others to fill the theater and attract audiences from the entire region north of Boston, further benefiting restaurants and other businesses in Wakefield.
Construction costs plus architectural/engineering fees are estimated at
$ 750,000. If awarded the requested MCFF grant of $375,000, the CPA will raise the remaining $375,000 from private sources.
Click on the images below to get a larger view:
Floor Plan:
Section and Elevation:
The Center for Performing Arts
PO Box 291
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 245-7219
cpawakefield@aol.com
